Cổ Loa Citadel
Co Loa · Au Lac Citadel · Co Loa Ancient Citadel · Loa Thành
Dong Son 3rd c BCE → Han 2nd c BCE → Ngo Quyen 938 CE·Dong Son Au Lac → Han → Dai Viet (Hanoi first capital)·🇻🇳 Hanoi, Dong Anh District, Co Loa commune 17 km north of Hanoi Old Quarter on Red River north plain, Vietnam
About
About Cổ Loa Citadel
Cổ Loa — spiral-walled citadel city (3rd c BCE–10th c CE) 17 km north Hanoi Old Quarter, excavated 1960s–2010s Nguyen Giang Hai (Vietnam Academy). Cổ Loa was capital of Au Lac (An Duong Vuong 257 BCE) and later Au Lac–Van Lang fusion, with three concentric spiral earthen walls (outer 8 km perimeter, 12 m high, 20 m wide) and moats, inner citadel 2 km dia. Hanoi's first capital before Thang Long 1010. Contains 3rd c BCE Dong Son drums, 2nd c BCE An Duong Vuong arrowheads (200,000 bronze arrows at Co Loa armoury), 1st c BCE Han fort, and 938 CE Ngo Quyen victory site over Southern Han. UNESCO tentative.
Why it mattersApex Dong Son spiral citadel — Au Lac capital with 200,000 bronze arrowheads and Dong Son drum horizon
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Three walls spiral symbolism — turtle magic?
Theories
- 01Co Loa as Dong Son–Au Lac state formation (Kim)
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- c.257 BCE Au Lac Co Loa outer wall by An Duong Vuong
- Period
- Dong Son 3rd c BCE → Han 2nd c BCE → Ngo Quyen 938 CE
- Culture
- Dong Son Au Lac → Han → Dai Viet (Hanoi first capital)
- Builders
- An Duong Vuong (Au Lac king) and Dong Son bronze artisans
- Purpose
- Spiral-walled capital of Au Lac controlling Red River north plain and Dong Son bronze route
- Excavation
- Partially excavated
257 BCE
An Duong Vuong builds spiral walls and founds Au Lac
3rd–2nd c BCE
Dong Son drum and arrowhead production at armoury
938 CE
Ngo Quyen defeats Southern Han; Co Loa second capital
1960s–2010s
Nguyen Giang Hai excavations reveal armoury
On the ground
Structures & features
21.1134° N · 105.8732° E · 12 m · 2 mapped features
Outer Spiral Wall and Moat (8 km Perimeter)
wallOuter spiral earthen wall 8 km long 12 m high with moat east
21.1144° N · 105.8724° EInner Citadel and Bronze Arrowhead Armoury
citadelInner citadel 2 km dia with 200,000 bronze arrowhead armoury centre
21.1119° N · 105.8743° E
Gallery